March 21 2014 — French Marigolds sit on display during the Master Gardeners Spring Fling Garden Show and Plant Sale at the Agricenter. (William DeShazer/The Commercial Appeal)

When Kim Dyer was a little girl, she hated vegetables, but she was promoting them Friday.

Dyer, 44, was handing out recipe cards at the Bartlett Station Farmers Market at the Memphis Area Master Gardeners Spring Fling at Agricenter International’s red barn.

“I was a real picky eater as a child,” Dyer, 44, whose recipes had ingredients available only at citywide farmers markets. “My mom used to cook out of cans. I hated spinach because she opened the can and it stank and it was icky, but now I love spinach.

“I know who grows it. Yang Farms is going to grow me some spinach, and I’m going to eat it.”

Linda Taylor, Spring Fling coordinator, said the show, now in its 10th year, helps fund year-round gardening education for children and adults.

The Spring Fling, which also runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, featured lectures, merchandise, and gardening and cooking demonstrations from L’Ecole Culinaire on Friday. On Saturday, garden designer, author and TV personality James Farmer will speak on planting at 11:30 a.m. Other speakers will discuss trees, kitchen gardening, terrariums and how to attract birds to your backyard.

Mary Jo Bibbs, 65, has been gardening for three years since she stopped working.

“I thought it would be a fun time to see what’s available and learn some things,” said Bibbs. “I’m trying to get ideas on expanding (my garden) a little bit. I guess you could say I’m a novice.”

Bibbs said she enjoyed the variety of plants offered in the barn and will incorporate some with her hosta plants and day lilies.

Taylor said health is a big factor in a lot of the work done by the Master Gardeners.

“The trend now is to be more conscious about where your food is coming from, and that’s the purpose of some of the speakers,” said Taylor.

Dyer said education is everything.

“You have to know your farmer and know your food,” she said. “Because you go to Kroger, and who knows where that comes from, but if you go to a farmers market, you know that food was grown right here in Tennessee (or in Mississippi).”